If you could sit down for a conversation with a living artist (or two), whom would you select?
Why?
What would you ask them? What would you hope to learn from them?
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If I could sit down with any living artist of my choice, it would be Kevin MacPherson. I’m a self-taught oil painter and it was from his amazing books that I learned to paint simply with his limited palette theory. He also breaks down value plans very simply, light and shadow. Anyone interested in becoming a better painter would benefit from his tutorials. Check out his website at http://www.kevinmacpherson.com/. Janelle Goodwin http://www.janellegoodwin.com/
Mary Frank because she works in clay, and (she does huge pieces, abstracted but not to the point of no connection) human figures. I’ve also seen some of her drawings. Her work has an amazing amount of movement in it, and the energy draws me in – and that’s just from photos! Juan Medina because my husband loves his magic realist paintings and he’s way too expensive for us (was when we discovered him years back and he’s doubled his prices – I just checked)…maybe we could work out a trade. =]
Wolf Kahn. I don’t want to paint like him but I want to know what he knows about color!
I would love to meet Kiki Smith. I’m always awed & inspired by her ability to mix what are considered to be traditionally women’s crafts (embroidery, textiles, etc.) with her collage, bronze sculptures & prints. I’m also fascinated by the fact that her entire life seems to be centered around her art & the messages that she is trying to convey with it.
1. Michael Shane Neal – I’ve e-mailed him about meeting up for lunch (we both live in Nashville) but I think he’s had a busy summer. We have totally different styles, but I like his go-getter attitude and work ethic. 2. Damien Hirst – I want to know how he became a superstar. 3. Jeff Koons – ditto what I said about Damien Hirst.
Bob Timberlake As a North Carolina native, I had little respect for him or his artwork while at art school. As a professional artist, I now look at what he has managed to build with his art and I more than envy the freedom he has to explore different ideas (furniture, etc.) I would ask him about his business and marketing practices and how to maintain respectability while growing his career into the corporation it has become.
Albert Paley is my favorite metalworker, and I’ve actually gotten the chance to meet him, but we couldn’t talk much. I’d also want to take a class from Arline Fisch or Mary Lee Hu whose works combine metal and textile techniques.
Jann Haworth – A woman who was part of the Pop Art movement. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jann_Haworth I would love to spend a day with her and here about the movement itself. Then another day to just watch her work in her studio.
Ansel Adams I’d ask him what percentage of his time he spent waiting for the light to be just right versus what percentage of the time he spent actually shooting.
I had the good fortune to meet mine and ask her some questions recently – she’s even more my hero now. I was afraid to blog about it though because she reads my blog and I didn’t want to sound like a gushy fan!
I cannot think of anyone living that I would want to sit down with…..Vincent Van Gogh, and Salvador Dali. My questions for them would be more about their way of seeing and creative process than technique. Coming away from that conversation I would hope to be inspired in my own process.
I would like to chat with Rex Ray, I love his approach and process to his art.
I would like to sit down with Mark Ryden to chat about art and business. He seems to have made it big by painting what he wants to paint. I see him as a fairly quiet and reserved man that doesn’t need a lot of the “art star” crap to create, yet he is social and approachable. http://www.markryden.com/ One of these days I am also hoping to meet Judith Schaechter. She has a wonderful sense of color and emotion, which she ties together to create hauntingly beautiful images in glass. I think she would have an interesting theory on art and life. http://www.judithschaechter.com/
Definitely Audrey Flack (photorealist painter and sculptor) She influenced me when I first saw her work as a 12 year old and made me want to be an artist…
Thanks for all of these. I’ll be looking some of them up as I plan a new surprise for everyone. Jennie: You should ask her if you could blog about it.
I have admired Lucian Freud for several years. I would love to talk with him about how he works and what his thought processes are. I t would also be great to listen to his anecdotes regarding his subjects and his life. From what I’ve read he is fascinating to pose for.
I love the work of Canadian watercolor artist Carol Evans. To watch her paint one painting from start to finish would be a dream come true. It would be so exciting to talk with her about the influence the B.C. shore line has on her and that she so beautifully captures in her work.
I have two artists I would love to sit down and talk with, as well as watch paint. There are many more but these two will do for now. Andrew Wyeth is my first choice. He’s an old man now and has spent a lifetime in art. I find his life fascinating and I love his art. The next would be Tom Forrestall, a Canadian realist who does great egg tempera work. He is a fellow Maritimer and I have viewed his work for quite a few years.
My artist would be Nature photographer.. John Shaw..he is truly a master at what he captures and shares with the world http://www.johnshawphoto.com William
There are many artists I would love to sit down with. I think the one that pops into my head most recently is Xenia Hausner. I love her approach to the figure, and her use of color.
Two artists come to mind: Callum Innes (Scottish) and Sean Scully (Irish). Both are extraordinary abstract painters, whose work and career paths I greatly admire.
Roni Horn and Bridget Riley both for their commitment and clarity.
Wolf Kahn. Harvey Dinnerstein. Helen Frankenthaler.